GRAND RAPIDS, MI – A home foreclosure prevention program will try to promote its pot of available money by partnering with religious leaders in the Grand Rapids area. Step Forward Michigan plans a press conference Monday, May 20, to announce a campaign to engage clergy and their congregants in the effort to increase awareness of free assistance.

Grand Rapids Mayor George Heartwell, state Sen. Mark Jansen, R-Gaines Township and state Rep. Winnie Brinks, D-Grand Rapids, are expected to attend the 9:30 a.m. event at Oakdale Park Christian Reformed Church on Temple Street SE. Also expected are religious leaders including Oakdale Park pastor the Rev. Emmett Harrison and the Very Rev. John Geaney, rector of the Cathedral of St. Andrew.

“What we have found through this process is many homeowners are struggling with who to go to. They’re embarrassed. They need to have some type of resource that they can feel comfortable in going to and communicating, and the best outcome we’ve been able to gather is the faith-based organizations are wonderful resources for the parishioners in their community,” said Mary Townley, director of home ownership with the Michigan State Housing Development Authority, which runs Step Forward Michigan.

“(Faith-based organizations) are an avenue for us to continue to reach out, that trusted adviser, that source of reliable information for many families.”

Step Forward Michigan still has about $380 million in federal TARP money earmarked to help homeowners avoid foreclosure in a variety of ways: get help making mortgage payments and related expenses like condominium dues for up to 12 months while unemployed; get caught up on payments or modify home loan after falling behind due to underemployment from a decrease in working hours or emergency expenses such as high medical costs; get help squaring away delinquent property taxes.

Step Forward Michigan has forged similar promotional partnerships with faith-based groups in Flint and Jackson. The program has funded about 11,000 households in the state including about 800 in Kent County, Townley said.

The program provides up to $30,000 per household when delinquency is shown to come from a qualifying hardship, Townley said. More details are here.